Positivity vs. Sugar Coating

I've been thinking lately about the difference between being positive and just sugar coating things that are really not okay. I've trained myself to try and be a more positive person but I started to realise sometimes my attempts to be positive were tipping over into sugar coating things and denying when things were not going right...

The time I noticed this was when I would feel anxious and unhappy on this inside but would portray an image of smiling and happiness to everybody on the outside. This started to make me internalise my problems and avoid finding the solutions - making the anxiety even worse. It also made me feel quite artificial.

So having thought about this some more. I think positivity isn't about portraying an image of being constantly happiness on the outside. It's a feeling of contentness and acceptance. It's about accepting your emotions and feelings, happy or sad, and knowing that you can handle it no matter what. It's about knowing that problems and obstacles are bound to come along but finding adaptable solutions as they come along, rather than dwelling on the problems.

We can never deny that unpleasant things happen in this world, so sugar coating them and covering them up is not going to help anybody. What is going to be helpful is finding solutions and being willing to embrace and know that you can handle them.

You're allowed to show your more 'negative' emotions, you're allowed when you're upset or angry but know that this is only temporary and that you will find your way out of this negative feeling. Bottling it up or not accepting it is just going to mean that you are not really addressing the issue.

So when you feel this way you should show it and you can talk to people about how you're feeling. Chances are other people may have gone through similar things before. Also, writing down the problems help and you can then turn your problems into solutions. Never internalise your feelings or think that it is abnormal to feel 'negative' emotions sometimes.

Just always be confident and assured in yourself that you will get yourself out of the problem and you will find a solution.



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